A new TV series starts on BBC2 on Friday 26th May at 9pm. Terry Jones promises to expose the truth about the ‘Barbarians’. It seems that the Romans and the Catholic Church gave the Barbarians a reputation they didn’t deserve.

Terry Jones pieces together new archaeological evidence to reveal the startling truth about the Barbarians, in the process discovering how the Roman propaganda machine was able to pull off a great con-trick and turn their enemies into monsters fit for children’s stories.

Link: Radio Times | Programme details

There’s an interview with Jones in the Radio Times. The article ends:

So who’s responsible for the smear campaign against Huns and Goths and the rest? The main culprit is the Roman Catholic Church. In the fifth century, Leo, bishop of Rome, confronted Attila the Hun and his army and struck a deal, which resulted in Attila withdrawing. Leo claimed it as triumph, and that turned him into the most powerful figure in the Roman Church. Attila’s only lasting legacy was the creation of the Pope! The Roman Empire transmuted into the church. Pagan materials, or anything that didn’t fit with its traditions, were ignored or destroyed. So for 1,500 years the church has kept this propaganda going: Romans good, barbarians bad. It’s just not true.

Sounds interesting…